The wonders of waterfront living
Living on the water doesn’t have to be all fantasy. For those who crave the water-oriented lifestyle, water recreation lies just a short walk or a brief drive from new homes to the banks of the California Delta or the San Joaquin River.
Regatta and Mosaic in Discovery Bay
The popular boating, fishing and other watersports of the Delta’s meandering 1,100-mile estuary are accessible from waterways within these new-home communities in Discovery Bay, which also feature peaceful lakes for nonmotorized watercraft.
“This community attracts a certain type
of people who want to be near or on the water,” said Sonja Jarvis, community sales manager for the Kiper Homes community of Regatta at the Lakes in Discovery Bay. The Alamo-based developer has new homes at both Regatta at the Lakes and Mosaic at the Lakes.
“Almost half of our homeowners have some kind of ‘water toy,’ ” said Jarvis, who lives, works and plays in the community she represents. “It’s like a vacation every day; no matter where you work, you come home to ripples on the lake and everyone out walking around.”
Within the large but close-knit and gated community, Kiper Homes includes several one- and two-story elevations.
“Regatta at the Lakes homes start in the
mid-$500,000s and are 2,106 to 2,731 square feet with up to five bedrooms and two- to threecar garages,” said Jarvis, adding that one homesite in particular features a four-car garage. Each thoughtfully designed home includes the builder’s signature large island in the kitchen and the California Room option.
“Most people choose the California Room, given their love of the outdoors,” added Jarvis. “And if you want water even closer, every Regatta home has a pool-size lot.”
Mosaic at the Lakes homes, meanwhile, begin in the upper $500,000 range for 2,330 to 2,751 square feet of living space. They include the California Room and may feature up to five bedrooms, three bathrooms and two- to threecar garages.
Even the garages are designed with the water lover’s lifestyle in mind. “Remember those water toys!” Jarvis jokes. Some three-car-garage homes feature an extra deep single bay for placing a fourth vehicle, typically a boat or RV. Other threecar garages contain two parking spaces with a tandem area for additional, longer-term parking, RV storage or flex space.
“People love the convenience of living in a master-planned community close to shopping, dining, walking trails, dogfriendly parks with pickleball, baseball, basketball, and lakes for kayaking and paddle boarding,” said Jarvis. “And there is water skiing, fishing and special events here on the Delta.” She added that people’s shared love of the water and the outdoors brings them together. “It’s a true oasis.”
At those prices, homes in the gated community are perfect for first-time homebuyers, move-up buyers, those who are downsizing and secondhome buyers seeking a not-too-distant peaceful getaway right on the water.
River Islands in Lathrop
South and east of Discovery Bay is another water-oriented community, which is served by the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) Train to the Tri-Valley, BART and Silicon Valley. On an almost 5,000-acre site along the San Joaquin River, sits Lathrop’s master-planned community of River Islands.
Along the banks of the San Joaquin River and dotted with several lakes and other waterways, River Islands bills itself as a growing community
celebrating the “progressive spirit of the New California.” Several newhome builders, including Kiper Homes, The New Home Company, and Tim Lewis, are building there.
Each neighborhood offers a variety of onestory or two-story new homes, all with the tranquility of water recreation, outdoor living and “green living” features. Also available is the Custom Homesite program, which can include custom or semicustom homesites of at least 3,500 square feet of living space apiece.
“There’s water everywhere,” say residents of River Islands, who add that they “love living in River Islands” for the friends they have made; the good schools and services; the safe, familyoriented neighborhoods; and easy access to water recreation plus nearby
restaurants and outdoor attractions.
Residents in this stillemerging new community appreciate that many homes have water views but that, even for homes without a direct water view, a relaxing walk or drive through the neighborhood provides scenic water vistas.
The community features 18 miles of riverfront trails, 11 miles of lakefront access and easy proximity to the Delta waterways. And, adding to the area’s economic viability, a state-of the-art business park is in the works, as is a downtown retail center with dining and other services.
So now is the time to stop dreaming and start listening to those who live in The Lakes in Discovery Bay or River Islands in Lathrop. There, life at the water is a reasonable, exciting dream come true.